Playing with Fire
by MarlyCook
Summary: She was his competition first, his best friend second, and his lover, never. Crossover. AU.


Title: Playing with Fire  
Summary: She was his competition first, his best friend second, and his lover, never.  
Chapter 1: Serendipity  
Chapter Rating: PG

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_**Disclaimer: **__I own absolutely nothing, well, I lie, I own Braxton.  
__**Author's Note: **__This picks up after the finale of season five for Gossip Girl and we pretend seasons five through nine doesn't happen in One Tree Hill. Some stuff will happen the same, but also be very different. This is definitely AU. Crossover. Many different pairings throughout. Any questions, please do not hesitate to ask._

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Her green eyes met his piercing blue in a challenging stare. She raised her perfectly plucked eyebrow and a small smirk graced her features. "May I help you?" She asked, her voice soft with an ever so slight rasp, he noted to himself. He couldn't help, but find it extremely sexy.

"I'm not one to cause a scene," Nate said to her, not able to hide his growing smile, "but I sit at this exact table every morning."

"Are you implying that I stole your table?" The brunette asked, her smile widening at his adorable excuse to start a conversation with her.

Without backing down, no matter how cute she may be, he nodded. "I am. However, I am willing to share this table if you refuse to move."

Her laugh was cute, not loud, but not quiet and courteous either. She waved her hand to the open seat and smiled up at him, genuinely. "Please, have a seat."

"Nate Archibald," Nate introduced himself as he sat down across the table from her. He took a sip of his coffee leaned back in the seat.

After a large gulp of her White Mocha, she leaned up to the table and supported herself on her elbows. "Brooke Davis," she said, grinning as his face went from cute and flirty to shocked and serious.

"As in B. Davis magazine," Nate said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Brooke couldn't help but cut in when he only mentioned a small branch off her continuously growing business. "And Clothes over Bros," she added with a proud smile.

"Looks like I'm having coffee with a competitor. I'm editor-in-chief as well as co-owner of The NYSpectator," Nate said, his own smile matching hers as he boasted.

"Well, well, even my competition is dazzled by me," Brooke teased, slipping on her coat after glancing down at her watch.

With a light chuckle, Nate shook his head, "No ma'am, not me, I just wanted my usual table back."

"Really?" Brooke countered, her eyes never changing from their playful mode. "Funny, because I sit at this very table every morning and never see you come in."

He was stunned in silence, his plan on getting the beautiful brunette's number back-firing right in front of him. He nodded to her and watched as she stood up and finished off her coffee. He wanted to stop her, but learned long ago not to mix business with pleasure.

Slipping on her brown, leather Coach gloves, she looked down at him and winked. "Thanks for the company, Mr. Archibald. I guess I'll see you around." Without another word from him, she pushed open the glass door and felt a cold rush of wind burn her cheeks. She walked out of the cafe and down the street, grinning to herself. She wondered if she ever would see him around.

Nate's phone sprang to life in his hand as a notification lit up his screen. He wasn't surprised to see a picture of him smiling across the table at Brooke Davis, but he knew his investors would be on his ass.

_Gossip Girl_

_Spotted! Nate having a breakfast date with one of his biggest competitors? Careful, Nate, don't you know that mixing business with pleasure will only lead to the downfall of your empire?_

He shut off his phone and sighed, pocketing it as he stood up and walked out of the cafe himself. Within minutes, his phone rang. He held it to his ear and paused to regain himself before he answered with a, "Hi Blair."

"Do not get involved with Brooke Davis, Nathaniel," Blair snapped, glancing in the mirror at herself. She combed through her long brown locks and waited for his reply.

"I'm not that stupid, it would end up kicking me in the ass later," Nate said, holding his hand up to hail a taxi. When one slowed to a stop, he slid in and unbuttoned the top of his coat to give him room.

"Well that, yes, but it would also be damaging to my spotlight. There is only one Queen B and with her being "B. Davis," she may take over the Upper East Side radar," she huffed, gliding to her closet in her floral, silk robe. "Besides, she is not only competing with you in the ad sales department, she is also a big threat on my mother's fashion line that I have been forced to take over."

With an exhausted sigh, he rubbed his brow. "If Gossip Girl or any other gossiping tabloids haven't taken to her yet, then they probably never will."

"If you don't get involved," Blair cut in, leaning against the doorframe in her closet. After a brief period of silence, she spoke up again. "And besides, Gossip Girl spotted Serena back in Manhattan. No distractions if you're set on winning her back, Prince Charming."

Choosing to ignore her last statement, Nate changed the subject. "Speaking of, have you spoken to her at all?"

"Why would I?" Blair asked, denying the fact that she had missed her roommate despite their falling out. "She ruined my relationship with a lot of people. Luckily, I was able to save a few. Serena ruins everything, though. She's like a disease."

Nate winced at her words, Serena meant a lot to him. "That's a little harsh …"

"Don't even, Archibald," The fiesty brunette snapped back at him. "Harsh doesn't even begin to explain the havoc she has caused since she returned back to Manhattan five years ago and ruined everyone's lives one by one."

"You're going just a little overboard, Blair.. You and Serena are best friends and if you two can't resolve this stupid and completely petty fight then I refuse to talk to either one of you. I've got my own problems. So call her, apologize, and do whatever it is you girls do to win back each other's trust," Nate said, in one long breath. He took another one and calmed himself down. For some reason, he felt completely overwhelmed today. "Because, frankly, you two bickering is getting a tad bit old."

Back at the Waldorf's, Blair stood, speechless and angry at his outburst. She huffed and hung up on him in a flurry, mostly angry at how true his words were.

The taxi stopped and Nate slid out, putting his phone back in his pocket and paying for the ride. He smiled to him and shut the door before walking into the large building ahead of him and up to his office. His stomach clenched at the thought of Serena being back in the city. For the past four months, he had not heard a peep out of her and it gave him time to miss her. Not only miss her, but realize he had never gotten over Serena Van der Woodsen. He just shut up his feelings with Diana and Lola (who looked like a carbon copy of her). He tried to email her twice, only twice, but only got a short reply that didn't even answer any of his questions.

_Good to hear from you. Miss you._

_S_

He smiled to his employees and unlocked his office, stepping inside to the large empty space that reminded him of his apartment. He was lonely and despite the fact that he could have anyone he wanted, he wanted to be in love more than anything. He went through his mail and stopped on the invitation to the event for the media. Every event is covered by magazines or online journals, but this night was one where they could all relax and enjoy themselves.

The only problem was not having a date. After Lola left, he focused on his company and trying to help his best friend take his father down. His grandfather passed away over the summer in a tragic accident and Nate was left with everything. He bought half of his company and chose to keep the rest to live comfortably. He hasn't had the best summer, to put it lightly.

With the invitation placed in the top drawer of his desk, Nate put the evening in the back of his mind. Flying solo wouldn't be too bad.

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"How fast could you get to New York?" Brooke asked, leaning her cheek against her palm. She sat at her desk drawing new designs all morning, but couldn't get over the fact that she had let weeks pass by without even looking for a date for tonight's event.

"Unfortunately, not fast enough," The familiar voice of high school romance filled her ears. Even from New York, she knew he was giving her one of those sympathetic smiles. "You're Brooke Davis. Don't tell me you can't find a date. I won't believe it."

Lucas Scott knew how to make her smile even at her lowest points. "I've just been too busy to look and now its last minute and no one will be able to drop their plans to come with me except Braxton," she laughed a little at the thought of taking her attorney to the party.

Braxton would be the perfect man; he had become her best friend. He was loyal, filthy rich, insanely attractive, and the best listener Brooke could ask for. They had one thing in common, though, and that was their preference in lovers.

"I don't think that's a bad idea," Lucas stated, leaning back in his office chair in the boy's locker room of Tree Hill High. "He'd look nice on your arm and maybe wear a prototype of your new men's line. Could attract investors."

That thought perked her up and she sat straight up in her seat. "You are absolutely brilliant, Luke! I've got to go, I'm gonna call Braxton. Thank you so much!" She didn't even give him time to reply before she hung up and called her loyal best friend.

Brooke moved to New York after spending the summer in California with Peyton after high school. She went to NYU and even before she graduated, she started her company. Her mother was by her side, running her company's business side as she did the designs. Her empire grew and now she's even wealthier than she was before.

She visited home frequently on holidays and wasn't a stranger to her high school friends. New York was her life, though. She wouldn't trade it even if she became lonely in the process.

The ringing finally stopped and Braxton's voice chirped into the receiver. She grinned and leaned back in her brown leather chair. "Braxton, I have a proposition for you," she said, smiling to herself.

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_This acted more as an introductory chapter, but it will get much better. Review? Please? I post faster with positive feedback!_


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